A Fork in the Road: My Last Meal at Americas (Post Oak) Houston, TX

It was only proper I have one last meal at Americas after celebrating many birthdays and accomplishments here since high school.  Michael Cordua has been credited with leading the Latin America culinary movement in America and the only Texas chef to be inducted to the "Food & Wine Hall of Fame".  Luckily, he made Houston his home.  Walking in, it feels like a Latin American goth scene; dark walls, furniture and sculpture.  It feels like a Vegas casino, with its decor and lavish ceiling art and lighting fixtures, except interesting.

Parents ordered mixed greens salad....bleh...though the cilantro dressing was good...a little tart, a little creamy, green goddess with cilantro.  I opted for Ahi Tuna ceviche and was skeptical given the amount of ingredients (roasted peanut, jícama, cilantro, crispy onion, citrus ponzu); it easily could have been without the peanut and onion, but I enjoyed it very much.
 

I had to have my staple at the Churassco's/Americas restaurants, which is Pollo Encamisado. 
This palliard of plantain crusted chicken sitting on top of black bean sauce with seared panela cheese and crema fresca is delectable.  Heavy, but not in a 'I feel so stuffed' type of way.  Of course, it's better if you don't have an appetizer, but what's the fun in that?  This dish has never disappointed me at Americas or any Churassco's.

Mom - If ever there were a salmon to be ordered, this is it.  Salmon Caliente.  This light, non-fishy grilled atlantic salmon, shrimp ceviche beurre blanc, pico de gallo didn't miss a mark.

Dad - Chileno.  Pan roasted sea bass over polenta spoon bread, sautéed spinach, and habanero beurre blanc.  The beurre blanc has the habanero taste, but not the heat, which is nice for for fish. 

All and all, was a great farewell to the Post Oak location (now in its final couple weeks of operation).  Cordua has since opened a bustling River Oaks location. 

p.s.  the plaintain chips with dipping sauces are my fav starter!

A Reason to Not Dining on 6th Street - Banjara

After perusing through many reviews of Banjara and being mostly positive, we tried this Curry Lane restaurant on a beautiful Thursday evening. We sat outside, and surprisingly without traffic and noise as you would think the East Village has.

 
 
 
 
 
 



We begin with chicken samosas. They are soft and curry-spiced, but lack any moisture   

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Chicken madras - see those chilis to the right? There was none of that (spiciness) going on in the dish.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



Lal Mas - lamb with chilis. See the deep redness of the dish? Yep, no spiciness in this either.

 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Chicken & mushrooms in herbed cream
 
Everything was bland and did not have a hint of spicy even in the 'spicy' dishes.  At least the naan and dipping sauces were decent.  Too bad!
 

97 1st Avenue @6th Street  (212) 477-5956

A Fork in the Road: New Orleans, LA

Highlights from last year's trip with friends....

Day 1, Friday - We arrived very late, Acme was close to the hotel and only an average beginning.



Fried Pickles



Red beans & rice - my FAVORITE NOLA dish!







Blackened Alligator w. tartar sauce

Day 2, Saturday - Mother's, an historical NOLA establishment known for their long lines at breakfast (po-boys are also known) and friendly staff, but fair warning....it's a tourist trap.

 Plain 'ole fried eggs, grits, sausage and a side of divine biscuits

The Divine biscuits with homemade jam which Edna bought us upon our NYC return 



Plain waffle with hot syrup (not pictured)

Crawfish omelet with grits

Stick with the 'plain 'oles'.  The crawfish omelet's sauce was too watery and too fishy at 9am.                                                     

Day 3, Sunday

On a sweltering New Orleans summer day, we set out for Rampart Food Store on the outskirt of the French Quarter.  Unfortunately, when we arrived, it was closed (think Sunday church in NOLA) so we hoofed it to Frenchman Street.  Our walk took us to Praline Connection.  Here there were families dressed in their 'Sunday best' and dining family style on Cajun-Creole Soul Food. 

Fried Okra

Chicken Livers with Hot Pepper Jelly



'A Taste of Soul Platter'
File Gumbo, Red Beans & Rice, Jambalaya, Greens, Fried Chicken, Ribs, Catfish Strips and Bread Pudding



The above was much smaller than it sounds and was a great amount to split between 4 gals.  The okra and livers were perfectly fried and the platter, while tasty, had heavier frying.  There was nothing truly notable except the bread pudding, which was exceptional. 

Day 3, Monday - Edna and I make it to Rampart Food Store.  Located in the back of a bare convenience store, it is completely run by Chinese.  And BOY, do they know how to make a po-boy.  What makes you salivate over these bad boys, is the seafood being fried tempura-style (light breading).  They don't dress the sandwich with tartar or cocktail sauce, just the typical ketchup and mayo.  We couldn't get down the block, before we sat on a neighborhood stoop and started.  If you have the time, make it to RFS...it is worth it! 

Acme  724 Iberville Street (504) 522-5973  http://www.acmeoyster.com/

Mother's  401 Poydras Street (504) 523-9656  http://www.mothersrestaurant.net/index.html
The Praline Connection  542 Frenchman Street (504) 943-3934 http://www.pralineconnection.com/













Meatball Shop

Who isn't up for a delicious meatball, YOUR way?  I always appreciate my dinners at Meatball Shop, particularly since you can order the meatballs in a variety of ways.  You make your selections with a dry erase marker on a laminated menu.  Good idea given the all the options.

Every night there are five meatball choices, the staples of beef, pork, chicken, veggie and a special (think lamb) served with marinara, meat (for real meatiness), mushroom gravy, parmesan cream and pesto.
Pro: 4 Meatballs served with foccacia
Con: Can't mix and match...if you're wanting that, sliders are your best match

My selection included pork with parmesan which was divine and meatballs soft.

Beef meatballs with marinara which were soft but not too exciting.

I love the farm sides or sides "that stick to your bones" (i.e. risotto, rigatoni, polenta) can be separate or under the meatballs.  I order as sides as I still am partly the child that doesn't want other food to touch.  The vegetables are pretty bland (no salt), but the argula and apple salad with vinegarette is delightful.  Yum!  It's nice to offset the heaviness of the meatballs with greens.

As much as I absolutely love the meatballs, my absolute favorite is the SMASHER.  Meatballs on a brioche bun with a choice of sauce and either mozzarella or provolone.  Tender, tasty and Fantastic!

To keep with the theme of building your own dishes, you can build your very own ice cream sandwich.  Brownie cookies with Caramel ice cream.  Yum Yum, but cookie lovers beware....cookies aren't as soft as you would hope for. 

Along with every restaurant that gets popular, the portions begin to dwindle and this is no exception; however, you still get 2 meatballs dishes, 2 sides, a smasher and dessert for $26.  Now that's a steal! 
But get there early as no reservations are taken and during primetime, the wait can be over two hours.

The Meatball Shop  84 Stanton Street (212) 982-8895
http://www.themeatballshop.com/index.php

Side Recipe

1 Bag of Southern Greens Blend from Trader Joes
4 cloves of garlic
Green onion
Halved cherry tomatoes (optional)
Water
Red Wine Vinegar

Saute garlic and onion in oil for 6 minutes, add washed greens, a half pint of halved cherry tomatoes, 3/4 cup of water and 6 tablespoons of red wine vinegar.  Cover and let steam for 15 minutes, tossing occasionally. 

Learning to Cook without Salt

Since I've started to cook on a more regular basis, the decision to cook with NO salt has been made.  Quelle Horreur!  Though, in truth, it really isn't that bad. 

Try my simple fish dish at home in a skillet/pan:

Marinate 2 filets of tilapia, or any non-fatty white fish i.e. snapper, in lime.  10 minutes each side.
Then, sear the fish 2 minutes on each side and set aside.  In a skillet, brown onion crescents in oil and fresh cut garlic.  Once onions are browned, dump one 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes (you can of course use the same amount of fresh tomatoes), 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of thyme, 1 teaspoon of rosemary, and let simmer 4-5 minutes.  Place fish in skillet and let cook 4 minutes each side in tomato sauce and voila!  A tasty fish without the use of any salt!

 Total expense: $14.14 not including the spices which I already had

Les Halles

When I first moved to New York ten years ago and knew nothing about food or Anthony Bourdain, I thought Les Halles was exceptional compared to its downtown neighbor, L'Express.  Unfortunately my last few visits have been just average.  Les Halles still provides the classic French Brasserie atmosphere, but with loud radio music, which is almost unbearable anywhere near the bar area of the restaurant. 

Let's start with the appetizers. 

Les Rillettes du Boucher - house made shredded pork confit.  The cornicons provided more flavor than the confit.

Steak tartare - always loved the tartare as they prepare table side with as many of the ingredients as you wish.  Our waiter asked if we would like it mild, medium or spicy and we ordered spicy which turned out disastrous.  You would expect a mild spiciness from the Tabasco, but it felt as if we were just eating a textured Tabasco sauce.

Fortunately, the beet and goat cheese salad did not disappoint.  This dish is appealing not only to the mouth,

but eyes.  The beets are dark red and roasted below a thin wheel of goat cheese.

Didn't bother with the two steaks (Flatrion or Steak Frites) as they were lukewarm, difficult to chew and the frites (what I consider the best thing they have going) oily. 

The dishes I usually order, but not this trip, of Choucroute and Cassoulet have never missed a beat!  They are extremely heavy dishes, but hopefully, you'll be up for the challenge (and the pork!!!)

Les Halles  411 Park Avenue South @ 29th Street
Reservations recommended

A Fork in the Road: La Dona (San Diego, CA)

The transportation through San Diego is so easy, there is absolutely no reason to not check out other areas of the city for food. We took the trolley from Seaport Village to Barrio Logan for some Mexican fare and was worth it. 

It's a ten minute ride from Seaport, then a 5 minute walk to the restaurant from the station.  Seated in our booth, we ordered a vast amount of goodies since the prices were economical (Tex-Mex is my favorite, but California Mexican will do just fine!).   It was Monday late morning, so I decided to go with a mix of breakfast and lunch items. 

Chips and salsa - the chips were thick, crunchy and lightly salted (clearly homemade)

Chili Colorado - hunks of fatty pork with rice & beans.  I enjoyed the tomato-based sauce together with the eggs & beans, but would have enjoyed more lean pork as opposed to just fattiness.

Beef Burrito with rice & beans - nice cuts of flank steak marinated with cilantro.  The guacamole can

I saved the best for last...

I've never been a fan of fish tacos...not sure why...until now! 

This was a powerful fish taco.  Thickly breaded fish, but not so much that the fish cannot be identified, mixed with a light mayo-vinegar cabbage salad in a corn tortilla.  I smile just thinking of it.

Husk-less Pork tamale (tamales were once as ubiquitous as the sandwich is today in the Inca Empire) - divine...soft corn and tasty meat.

If you want a taste of true California Mexican, try it here!  Then take the trolley 20 minutes south right to Tijuana for the real, real thing.

Please note the restaurant only takes CASH and is open M-F 7am-3pm

La Dona  1784 Newton Avenue b/t Beardsley and Sigsbee Streets  (619) 233-4939

Fatty Crab

Bro coming to town.  Check.
Plane arrives late.  Check.
Dinner late.  Check.

Fatty Crab is a stone's throw from my apartment and I was glad to announce this was where we'd be having 'dinner'.

The steamed pork buns, of course, had to be ordered.  Fatty Crab version has a touch of hoisin and shredded veggies and the fattiness to meat ratio is perfect (comparable to, and sometimes better than, Momofuku steamed buns :-0 I know....Blasphemy!)

On to the Short Rib Rendang with kaffir lime and gula jawa, which is a granulated palm sugar, served with pickled veggies.  Never have I had short rib like this.  I've had short rib on the bone, short rib ragu, chunks of braised short rib, but never looking like a perfectly cooked and sliced piece of Porterhouse steak.  I didn't pick up lime or any sweetness in the crust, but didn't care given the meat was exceptionally prepared.  The pickled carrots, radish and onion were a different touch and complimented the dish well.  Pricey at $26, but worth it.

Our waiter mentioned a 11pm-2am late night Happy Hour appetizer menu.  Good to know!

Fatty Crab  643 Hudson b/t Gansevoort & Horatio
www.fattycrab.com

Fork in the Road: Hash House (San Diego, CA)

I didn't know what to expect walking into Hash House, except that a good foodie friend had recommended it. The line was long and we arrived almost at closing time - two strikes. We put our names in, got a pager (big plus!) and made our way to the bar.

It was Sunday and had been a long 6 hour flight from New York, so the Bloody Mary was well-deserved. Typically, I never order Bloodies because of the heaviness and richness before a meal, and this one was no different. A meal in itself, but a delicious meal. Hash House uses farm fresh ingredients, so one would assume the tomato juice is fresh which makes the Bloody Mary experience entirely different. HH also had interesting twists with Bloody Marys...one with BBQ sauce, tabasco and chicaronnes and a B.L.T with bacon!

The Champagne Super Nova was a refreshing, springtime cocktail (muddled fresh mint, pressed lemonade, white and sparkling wines)

While sipping on our cocktails, we take notice of the colossal plates passing by; and not just a dish or two, every single dish. It was like musical chairs with my eyes. Each dish had to be 12" long x 6" wide!

Finally, we are seated! I cannot wait to order, but I'm having a difficult time. This is almost like Shopsin's. The menu isn't as long, but you can't decide what you want. I'm looking at every one's table and thinking, "I want that". 




The Order:

Indiana Favorites:  Famous sausage gravy & buttermilk biscuits, 2 eggs and mashed potatoes

The photos don't even begin to do the portions justice.  The biscuits were the size of my hand (not my palm!) with a lump of mashed potatoes between the two, 2 fried eggs atop the mountain then smothered with sausage gravy.  This dish was definitely tasty, but born a Southerner, the biscuits were a touch dry for me and the gravy was too creamy.  However, had the gravy had more chunks of sausage, it would have cut the creaminess.
Consumption amount: Half a biscuit, half mashed potatoes, 1 egg

The Mothership of Brunch: Sage Fried Chicken tower with waffles and eggs

This dish is a force to be reckoned with!  I mean, just look at it!  Beautifully crisp fried chicken towered on top of four 3x3" waffles complete with leeks and tomatoes.  The ingredients are so fresh, it really does make the food taste better.

Bacon-infused Waffles!!!  WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!  Genius!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The waffles were soft with crispy slices of bacon infused, then doused with maple syrup...
It was perfect in every possible way, though the tomatoes and eggs could easily be forgotten.

Consumption amount:  Every single bite, mostly by someone else.  This takes food coma to a whole new level.
Keep in mind, they open early on weekdays and weekends (7:30am), but close at 2pm weekdays and 2:30pm weekends.

3628 5th Ave San Diego, CA

http://www.hashhouseagogo.com/